Why Gymnasts Are Always Tired: Common Causes and What We Get Wrong

We’ve all seen it: the gymnast who yawns through breakfast, dozes off in the car, and is dragging themselves through the school day, only to try to get a burst of energy for practice.

We often just hear parents and coaches say:

"Of course she's tired. She's a gymnast. It's a hard sport."

While this is true and it is normal for gymnasts to feel tired, but when they are always exhausted, we have a problem. Too often, we accept this as just part of the sport. We shouldn't. Constant fatigue is a warning sign, not a badge of honor. This blog post will explain why it happens, what we misunderstand, and how we can fix this!

Why Gymnasts Get So Tired

1. The Physical Demand

Gymnastics requires huge amounts of strength, precision, and practice. The training is long and difficult, which puts a lot of stress on a gymnast's body. This leads to normal tiredness, the kind you feel after a big workout that goes away with rest and good food.

2. The Mental Demand

We often forget how mentally tough gymnastics is. Gymnasts aren't just exercising; they are constantly thinking, planning, and correcting themselves. The pressure to perform skills perfectly and the fear of getting hurt is mentally exhausting. This "brain fatigue" is just as real as being physically tired.

3. The Scheduling Demand

A competitive gymnast's life is incredibly busy. Juggling 15-30 hours of training each week with school, homework, and a social life leaves very little time for rest. Waking up early for practice and going to bed late leads to a constant lack of sleep and down time.

What We Get Wrong: Common Dangerous Myths of Gymnast Fatigue

Unfortunately, the culture within gymnastics often makes this problem worse. Instead of seeing constant exhaustion as a warning sign, we tend to believe in old sayings and myths that praise gymnasts for pushing past their limits. This teaches young gymnasts that being dangerously tired is just a normal part of being dedicated to the sport.

Myth 1: "Tired is a Badge of Honor." 

• The Myth: People act like always being exhausted is a good thing. We always hear people say things like, "No days off!" or "Push through it!" as if feeling totally drained is a trophy.

• The Truth: It's normal to feel tired after a hard practice. But feeling exhausted all the time is your body's way of asking for a break. True dedication means listening to your body so you can get stronger, not just more tired.

Myth 2: "It's Just a Phase/She's Growing." 

• The Myth: When you're always tired, sometimes coaches and parents brush it off and say, "It's just a growth spurt," and don't look into it further.

• The Truth: While growing can make you tired, it shouldn't make you feel exhausted for weeks on end. If you never feel rested, it's a sign that your body needs more help to recover, not just an excuse.

Myth 3: "She Just Needs to Toughen Up." 

• The Myth: If you say you're tired or sore, someone might tell you to "be tough" and ignore it as it’s just ‘part of the sport’

• The Truth: There's a difference between mental toughness and your body breaking down. Being mentally tough is finishing a hard routine. But needing rest is not a weakness, it's a physical need. Your body requires fuel and sleep to work, just like a car needs gas.

Myth 4: "She Looks Fine, So She Must Be Fine." 

• The Myth: Because you’re smiling and hit your skills when you need to, people think you're not struggling.

• The Truth: Gymnasts are experts at hiding how they feel. You might be able to perform well even when you're exhausted underneath. How you look on the outside doesn't always match how you feel on the inside. Your feelings are always valid.

Signs Gymnast Fatigue is Not Normal (And When To Worry)

So how do you tell the difference between common tiredness and something more sinister? 

Here are the warning signs that fatigue has crossed the line from common to concerning:

• Performance Plateaus or Regression:

  • Instead of improving, a gymnast is consistently unable to hit skills she used to own, lacks power, or seems clumsy and uncoordinated

• Extended Recovery Time:

  • Normal muscle soreness lasts 24-48 hours. If your athlete is still extremely sore from Tuesday's practice on Friday, her body is not recovering.

• Emotional Changes:

  • Increased irritability, anxiety, loss of motivation, mood swings, or signs of depression. The joy for the sport is gone

• Frequent Illness and Injury

  •  A suppressed immune system and a tired body are more prone to constant colds, nagging aches, and more serious injuries like stress fractures

• Disordered Eating Patterns:

  • Obsession with food, weight, or body image; skipping meals; or using unhealthy methods to change body composition

• The Fatigue Is Constant:

  • The tiredness doesn't go away after a rest day or a weekend off. It's a deep, unshakable exhaustion

 If your gymnast is showing these red flags, nutrition is often a missing piece. That’s why I created the Fueled Gymnast Academy...to help gymnasts (and parents) learn how to fuel for more energy, faster recovery, and fewer injuries.

These red flags are often symptoms of other conditions:

REDS (Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport): 

• This occurs when an athlete isn't consuming enough calories (energy) to support the energy they expend in training and basic bodily functions (like menstruation, bone health, and immune function)

• It has severe long-term health consequences including

  • Weak Bones: Leads to early osteoporosis and constant stress fractures that won't heal

  • Hormone Problems: Causes loss of periods in females, low testosterone in males, and infertility

  • Weak Immune System: Leads to getting sick more often with longer recovery times

  • Stunted Growth: In young athletes, it can prevent them from reaching their full genetic height

How To Help A Tired Gymnast: A Team Effort

Addressing the constant battle of tiredness requires a team approach. It's not about blaming anyone, but about creating a healthier environment for all gymnasts to succeed.

For Parents:

• Listen and Observe: Trust your instincts. You know your child best. If you see the red flags, don't dismiss them.

• Prioritize Adequate Nutrition: Ensure your gymnast has access to consistent, balanced, and enough food. Focus on carbohydrates for energy, protein for repair, and essential fats for hormone health. When in doubt, consult a sports dietitian that can help support your gymnast and family.

• Prioritize Sleep: Enforce a non-negotiable sleep schedule. Gymnasts need 9-11 hours of quality sleep per night. Create a sleep-friendly environment (cool, dark, screen-free).

• Communicate with the Coach: Approach the conversation collaboratively, not confrontationally. "We've noticed Sarah is exhausted all the time and struggling to recover. We're concerned and want to work with you on a plan."

For Coaches:

• Educate Yourself: Understand the signs of Overtraining Syndrome and RED-S. The health of your athlete is more important than any single practice.

• Periodize Training: Build deload weeks into the annual plan. Schedule mandatory rest days. Vary intensity to allow for adaptation and recovery.

• Foster a Healthy Culture: Shift the language from "pushing through pain" to "training smart." Praise rest and recovery as part of the process. 

• Be Approachable: Create an environment where gymnasts can say "I'm tired" or "I'm hurt" without fear of being seen as weak

For Gymnasts:

• Honor Your Hunger: Fuel your body for the work you ask it to do. Food is not the enemy; it's your fuel.

• Advocate for Yourself: It is brave and smart to speak up when you are hurt, exhausted, or struggling. Your long-term health is your most valuable asset.

• Embrace Rest: Understand that recovery is when your body gets stronger. Rest is not laziness; it is a critical part of training.

• Find Balance: Make time for non-gymnastics activities and friendships. It’s essential for your physical and mental health.

The culture of gymnastics is changing. We are slowly shifting away from the “all or nothing” mindset and towards a more sustainable and healthy approach. This means redefining what it means to be a dedicated and successful gymnast.

A dedicated gymnast is not the one who is always tired. A dedicated gymnast is the one who fuels her body wisely, prioritizes her sleep, communicates her needs, and understands that true strength is built not just in the gym, but during rest.

Let's stop normalizing exhaustion and start prioritizing health, because a healthy, well-fueled, and rested gymnast is not only happier, she is ultimately stronger, more resilient, and more likely to achieve her highest potential.

When you skip meals, avoid foods, and don't make performance fueling a priority, you can't expect your body to be at its best come competition time. It's not just about giving 100% when you're in the gym, but also making what you do outside of the gym a priority. It's not too late to get your nutrition sorted out and see major improvements this season!

The Fueled Gymnast Academy is the is the simplest way for busy gymnast (and those who feed them) to learn the ins and outs of fueling their body as a high level gymnast so they can

• have more energy, reduce the risk of injury, and perform their best

AND

• feel confident and empowered to make their own food choices (and not just have someone tell them what they have to eat)

Start Learning Today

Fueling your body doesn't have to be a guessing game. And you don't have to figure it out on your own.